Rose of My Heart

Unlike Say When, Rose of My Heart actually did have a hit in the form of "That's How You Know When Love's Right," which went to number nine, possibly on the strength of duet partner Steve Wariner. His presence suggests how the record is ever so slightly rootsier than its predecessor, containing a gospel number in "As an Eagle Stirreth Her Nest," a bit of a hoedown on "Captured by Love," and an excellent honky tonk ballad closer in "You're Running Wild." Larson's heart still seems to lie in California but that pull between mellow vibes and precision-tuned Nashville turns Rose of My Heart into a winning little record. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine